Memento Mori
by Colonel Radec
Summary: On the Surface there is War. Suffering and strife. Seven times before her did they fall to find a better life within the promised land. Little did they know that even Underground, all would be equal in the Darkness that is to come... AU setting
1. Chapter 1

**Memento Mori**

 **Chapter 1: Collapse**

' _ **Where am I..?'**_

The boy stumbled weakly through the lonely mountain pass, his muscles screaming in protest with each step as he limped steadily forward. He strained his ears, desperately trying to listen for the soldiers' footsteps or the snarling of their hounds, but only the raw pounding of his heart accompanied his quiet footfalls. He struggled to keep his eyes up and forward, every thought within his mind begging for rest; for sleep that had been denied for days.

' _ **How long have I been walking...?'**_

 _That_ was the recurring question ringing throughout his mind, over and over.. His journey to the mountain had been a long and painful one. The past week of travel had taken its terrible toll in numerous ways… Gritting his teeth and pushing such distracting thoughts away, the boy climbed his way upwards through the rocky crags that shielded him from the bitter winds of the pass, his dry throat croaking in pain as he pushed past the limits of exhaustion. He knew that there was nowhere but forward for him to go; nothing awaited him in the desolate ruins of his home city, none were left to lift him up if he fell down once more. No, he was on his own now, he had only himself to rely on to survive the brutal Ebott Perimeter and avoid the fanatical guards that hunted him without rest or mercy.

' _ **...Where am I even going?'**_

The Underground. The massive subterranean network below his feet where monsterkind was sealed. They were his only hope, his best chance at escaping this hellish world surrounding him on all sides. He had heard the stories, of course; everyone in America knew the legend of Ebott, of the paradise- world just below the dregs of humanity. He knew his plan to reach them still stood, despite the… inaccessibility of the main entrance. He shuddered at the thought, recalling the recent events that had befallen him, the sacrifices made to get this far. He had to finish this. He had to reach the monsters. For himself, and for those who…

No. Those thoughts would only serve to further weaken him, break his resolve when he needed it most, and-

Pain flooded his veins as the rocks below him gave way, his ankle twisting, dropping him to his knees as he just barely caught himself from tumbling down the mountainside. Hissing quietly as he bit his tongue, the boy rolled onto his back, gasping for air as he was made to rest despite his wishes.

' _ **Heh… this really couldn't be going any worse now, could it..? God, how am I going to get out of this one..?'**_

He had quite the knack for getting himself into trouble after all; he had the collection of scars to prove it. But he had always managed to find a way out, or had someone there to pull him from the fire at the last second. Not anymore, though, not after...

Images, long ago seared into his mind flashed forward, as he watched the sunset. His hand thrashed as it sunk into the mud. Flesh tore under the slathering jaws of hounds. A knife slashed across his chest as-

...Sighing softly, the boy turned his head to the side to gaze across the wastes; a crumbled, desolate city on the horizon jutting from the ground in jagged and broken shapes, the lights of worker camps criss-crossing through the streets as men, women and children of all shapes and sizes awoke for the night shift, the endless toil to repair yet another ruined city pushing ever onwards. The thought alone was enough to make his stomach churn with the painful recollections brought forth as he withdrew into a small crevasse, shielding himself from the bitter winds of the mountaintop he was now confined to. Not that it seemed to matter; if he didn't figure something out, and fast, he doubted he'd survive another night on Ebott.

But what _could_ he do? The only entrance to the Underground was impossible to reach, and the only people for miles around were… _unfriendly_ to say the least. No. There was no going back, for there was nothing left for him to return to. And yet, despite his high-flung hopes, forward now meant certain death. It was only a matter of time before those damned hounds caught his scent again. Where then…?

As he pondered this, his foot caught once more, and he cried out in pain as he fell to his knees. Looking back to see what had _now_ tripped him, he heard something that stole his breath once more. Howling dogs and shouting voices growing steadily louder, closing in on him from ahead and behind. Panicking as his heart raced in his chest, the boy climbed desperately, blindly pushing himself higher and higher as the growling-beasts closed in. So terrified he was, that he didn't notice as he pulled himself onto a loose outcropping.

With a scream, the rock suddenly gave way into the ground, and he was swallowed up by darkness, the light vanishing far above him as he screamed himself hoarse one last time. And so he plummeted, downwards into certain death. Further and further, until...

* * *

She snapped awake with a gasp, clutching at her chest as she whipped her head around in all directions to try and gauge her surroundings. Eyes darting to and fro, she eventually settled on the faint light far above, illuminating what she began to recognise as the cavern she sat within. Weakly, she arose, wincing softly as she quickly realised she would be walking on a sprained ankle.

Studying her surroundings, Frisk was surprised to see the cavern was supported by massive marble columns reaching-up to the stalactite-free ceiling above her; smoothly worn cavern walls leading her eyes down until she observed a large, ornately designed gateway adorned with a symbol… no, _crest_ that she had never seen before. This was certainly no military bunker or construct, and yet...

 _Where am I now?_ A pertinent question indeed. She was certainly _underground_ , but this looked nothing-like the military installations that dotted Ebott. Where she was now felt different… alien. Yet, in spite of this, it felt _familiar_ , like she had seen it _before_.

The mountains outside her home city were quite the mystery to her, having been forbidden to most of the American populace since time immemorial. Most had simply assumed it was another contaminated zone from the war, yet conspiracies were rampant regarding the recently withdrawn presence of dangerously fanatical soldiers who patrolled every inch of the mountainside, their notoriety for using lethal force well-known to the surrounding communities. It was only as a result of the recent mobilisation that Frisk was even able to make it _this_ far into Ebott; yet still she was miles off from the mythical entrance to, well…

The legend of mount Ebott was known all across the nation; the desperation of centuries past having led countless to lose their lives in vain pursuit of the 'monster-paradise.' Not one account told of any who had made it past the Perimeter to discover what was really within the mountain, and any serious attempts to breach security ended decades ago. But now… here she was, in a clearly unnatural cavern. Maybe...

No. That was just a _fairy-tale_ after all. This was likely just another set of caverns like the ones she'd passed while climbing her way up here. The abandoned bunkers and empty trenches outside bore no fruit for her search, just as she had of course it stood to reason that old children's stories of angels below the mountain would hold no weight.

Sighing with frustration, and, not for the first time, _regretting_ her little _expedition_ , she turned to search for a way out to the surface again; _he'd_ certainly never hear the end of THIS once she found her way back to him-!

She froze in mid-thought at the sight before her, not quite sure what she was looking at. Fortunately for her, it seemed that she didn't have to wait long to figure this oddity out herself…

"Howdy!"

* * *

Cold pressed down upon him, the uniform silence of this black emptiness a long familiar presence that never changed or wavered. So why then, was there light in the distance...?

- **At last!** ; _So soon?_ -

He peered through the formless black, cold eyes cutting through time and space to find his target. _Yes_ , there it was, struggling to its feet on the corpse of its fellowr. The moment he had awaited - **all these eons** ; _those few minutes-_ for was upon him, and beckoned for him to act. It was now time for him to - _guide the children forward;_ **drag the specimens screaming** \- through the Underground that laid before them.

Shifting his hands in erratic, seemingly cryptic motions, and forming dozens of nameless, infernal symbols around his formless shape, he began to set his plan into motion, pulling his little _keepsake_ from its - **prison** ; _home-_ and up before him, its black and featureless shape inert and silent.

- **Smirking sadistically;** _Frowning mournfully-_ as he observed it, the being shifted their gaze back through the cold black, towards the rift that was forming above him. A few more moments of incantation and sure enough…

Vacant eyes lit with a new flame as a small tuft of dirt fell onto their cheek,the rift crackling like ice as it completed itself underneath the specimens' resting place. Lifting their hand and unclasping their fingers, the entity watched with - **a twisted, long awaited glee, for his triumph finally approached** ; _a grim and solemn determination, for his work was far from done-_ as the dark, unremarkable object lifted itself upwards into the rift, burrowing upwards through dirt and root to reach its target. Yes, it would find where it was needed. Then all he needed to do was wait, and allow nature to take its course...

 _-By his vision, the angels would finally cross the underground_ ; **By his hands, they would tear it beating from this earth.-**

* * *

 **A/N:** Alright, here's the start to my first attempt at writing. I hope you enjoy it but don't hold criticism back if you don't; I won't improve otherwise.

Also, a huge thanks to VakaPyro for being pretty much the only reason I have the guts to actually try writing this. Go check out the stuff on their profile, they're an awesome writer.


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2: Rise**

"Huh? Uh… hello there, friend…? What, um… what exactly are you supposed to be?"

The little creature in front of her tittered childishly, a small face surrounded by golden petals beaming up at her.

"Good question!" it chirped, smile never faltering. "I'm Flowey. Flowey the Flower! I'm a monster, from the Kingdom of… _Monsters!_ And I can _tell_ just by looking at you, that you're feeling like a fish fresh out of water, _right_?"

Frisk eyed the little plant-being warily, checking her head for any serious injuries. No cuts or open wounds, no major bumps… she seemed fine, at least as far as she could tell. So she _probably_ wasn't hallucinating, which could only mean…

"Monster kingdom? Like… from the old fairy tales, you mean?"

Flowey giggled once again, bouncing slightly atop his stem. "The very same! I bet you've heard all sorts of things about us while you were up there on the surface, didn't ya? Well, sorry to say but I don't think you'll find _quite_ what you're probably looking for down here. The Kingdom ain't what it used to be…"

Unbeknownst to Flowey, his words were currently falling onto deaf ears as giddily Frisk twirled about, eyes roaming around the surrounding cavern and about the small creature in front of her, a big and childish smile spreading across her face.

' _They ARE real!'_ she thought excitedly, long-forgotten hopes and dreams rising in her chest as the implications hit her in waves.

' _I can't believe it, the monsters are real, and they're right here under Ebott!'_ Her mind raced as she tried to collect herself, small giggles escaping from her throat as she bounced lightly on her feet. After a brief spell of relieving her elation, she closed her eyes and focused on what she had originally come to the mountain for. ' _This is incredible, so let's focus... I have to tell the others, if I can lead them_ back _here we can actually have a chance to-!'_

" _Hey_! Pay attention! I'm trying to help you out here!" Frisk winced at the surprisingly loud voice of her companion, turning his way and flushing at his irritable glare. She nodded softly, smiling a little regardless.

"Oh, I'm sorry Flowey." She apologized, eyes slightly downcast. "I'm just… trying to take all of this in. I didn't even think this place was _real,_ let alone hope that I'd actually find it…!"

Her companions' searing gaze stayed on her a moment too long; enough for her to shift uncomfortably, before Flowey sighed, shaking his head and smiling once more. "No, I understand! Golly! This is a whole new world to you after all, ain't it? But hey… you _really_ oughta listen to your new pal… the Underground's gotten _pretty_ dangerous as of late."

"Dangerous? What do you mean?" She frowned with uncertainty at that; _danger_ was never a part of the stories she was told as a child! Indeed, every tale of the Underground described it as the most peaceful location one could imagine, free of the suffering so prevalent on the surface.

Flowey's head tilted to the side as he blinked softly, smile never dropping even as it faltered a bit. "Well, we've been stuck down here an awfully long time, friend… I mean, apparently it's been long enough for you all to forget about us up there! Hee-hee… You know how things go, don't you? It's hard to find supplies down here nowadays; food and water are running low, and people are getting desperate. Nobody really knows how much there is left, and that's making people scared… and angry."

Frisk's frown only grew as the flower spoke, a nervous chill crawling up her spine as she considered Flowey's words. "Angry..? But, I've only just got here. I didn't do anything to hurt them, and I don't plan to at any point while I'm down here. Why would they all be mad at me..?"

Flowey's shrill giggling made her wince slightly, the flower was certainly capable of reaching impressive levels of volume. "Well, think about what put us down here, friend… _who_ put us down here... We certainly never intended to get trapped under these mountains _forever,_ after all! _So_ , newbie… what do you think they'll do if they see a human, the cause of all their pain and woes, in the Underground amongst them, hmm~? I doubt they'll be as calm and easygoing as lil' old me... So! Somebody oughta teach you how to protect yourself, don'tcha think?"

"Y… you mean fighting? I don't… I-I'm not so sure that's a good idea, Flowey! I'm not much for violence…"

His petals drooped slightly as she spoke, beady black eyes boring into her own amber ones as he grinned his cheshire smile. "Aww... Don't be so worried pal! I'm just gonna take you through the basics to help you on your way, since you got a _long_ walk ahead of you if you ever want to go home. It'll be easy, and with what I'm gonna show you I bet you won't even raise a hand once against anybody down here! So just, hold on and relax, ok? This will be a little weird at first…"

Before Frisk could protest further, she shuddered, nearly falling to her knees as she felt the air get sucked from her lungs. Looking back up, the world had dulled to a muted palette of grey and black all around her, save for the brilliant, burning red shape before her. Stunned at the sight, she instinctively reached upwards, her hands cupping around the strange object that seemed to radiate with warmth and power, black and red pulsing across it's surface. "Wh-what the… what did you do?!"

Flowey didn't respond at first, a silent stare consuming his expression… funnily enough, he looked almost… surprised? A quick shake of his head and it passed, so quick that Frisk doubted she even saw anything.

"Hee-hee… you like it? I should hope so, because that's your soul, the very culmination of your being! Sure is pretty, ain't it? Your soul, like everyone else's down here, starts off weak, but can gain power with a little - _help-_ from others!"

"Help...? Uh... what kind of help?" Frisk could feel herself growing uncomfortable around her little companion, something about all of this seemed inherently… off, to her mind.

"Good question, friend! Well, down here monsters like to share power with each other through these, little, white… _friendliness pellets_!" As he spoke, a little spot of light gathered above the flower's head, twirling rapidly as Frisk watched. "Unfortunately I don't have that much for myself, but what little I _do_ have I'd be happy to share with you!"

Frisk tilted her head at the diminutive little flower, here eyes squinting in ever-growing suspicion. "Friendly… wha-? Hang on... why would offer something like that to me? Didn't you just say humans were hated down here?"

Flowey frowned at that remark, surprising Frisk, who had started to think that massive grin was permanent. In fact, as his eyes grew somewhat distant, Frisk began to ponder if what she was seeing now was in fact, the _real_ Flowey.

"That's not fair, pal… I've been around for a little while, and _I_ would know that not _all_ humans are bad. And we just met, sure… but what kind of guy would I be if I gave you a bad first impression of monsterkind? You just got here, you're alone and confused… you need a little bit of help, is all, so I figured I could jump in and offer a hand, er… stalk! Is it really so hard for you to believe that someone is willing to be nice for no gain of their own?"

She stopped at his seemingly honest statement, a bit surprised at herself. She had come here originally to find the supposed 'angels' under the mountain, after all, and now that she was here she was offering only mistrust and suspicion to her first actual encounter with a monster. Certainly not the best start to her mission by any stretch of the imagination...

Gulping softly, and putting her apprehension to the back of her mind, Frisk offered up a weak smile towards Flowey despite her misgivings. "Heh, I suppose I'm being a little unfair, aren't I? Sorry Flowey, I didn't mean anything by it, I just… it's hard to trust people you don't know well, nowadays."

"Well… I guess it hasn't been so great up there on the surface for all of you either, has it? But like I said, I just want to help out! So how about we start over, okay? Just to get off on the right foot and show you I'm a friendly lil' guy!" His beaming grin was stretched across his face again, little black eyes glued to her amber ones as she nodded slightly, a smile of her own creeping across her face. Really now, how could she judge so hastily? Flowey had been only kind to her thus far, and she had little reason to not take the flower at his word.

"Great then! Just hold still, and I'll let this little speck fly right on over…" Sure enough, as Flowey finished speaking the little pellet floated gently her way, in an almost lazy fashion. It actually looked kind of cute now that it was close enough for her to see-!

" _ **MOVE you idiot!"**_

Gasping as she was harshly flung to the side, Frisk yelped in surprise as she slammed into the ground on her side, Flowey's friendliness pellet drifting away to hit the wall behind her.

Across the cavern, said flower tilted his head to the side, a perplexed eyebrow raised at the spectacle before him "Uhh, buddy? You having fun over there? Because, you kind of _missed_ the friendliness pellet. Here, just hold still _this time_ and we'll try again, ok?"

Without waiting for her response, Flowey summoned nearly a dozen more of the little white specks before tossing them her way, faster and more accurately than last time. Frisk winced in pain as she was forced upright against her own will, her hand lifted by some, unseen force as a black miasma coated her forearm and wrenched back before striking outwards, swatting the pellets away in a loud crackling snap.

"' _ **Friendliness pellets?' What kind of simpleton are you?"**_

Frisk shuddered at the cold, cruel voice that was echoing around her ears, snapping her gaze behind her to try and find the owner. But there was nobody there, not behind her or beside her, only herself and Flowey…

...Until she looked down towards her hand, covered in a black, smoke-like mass that formed over her own body, flexing and moving of its own free will even as she tried to stop it.

Gasping in terror, she noticed how the mass worked its way up her arm, over her shoulder and down her chest. Shuddering as she felt her lungs fill with air she didn't breathe, thoughts of the mass and her fears were briefly put aside with the loud _cackling_ that echoed all around the cavern, her eyes snapping forward to look into the horrifically twisted face that now adorned Flowey. His eyes were sunken and hollow, even as his grin split his face apart, razor sharp teeth decorating his twisted maw.

"Well, well… isn't THIS a surprise! I bet you _did_ know what's really going on here, didn't you?" Dozens upon dozens of white pellets swam across Frisk's vision as they swarmed around her, too many for her to count at speeds she could hardly follow. Darkness spread across her body as Flowey twisted his head to the side, laughing hysterically.

" _ **DIE.**_ " And then countless _bullets_ closed in on her, the black creeping up her cheeks and over her eyes as they moved against her will, quickly scanning across the room for her assailant, looking for avenues of approach, points of weakness, spots for her to _**rip and tear at until-**_

As this nightmare assailed her she felt blazing heat wash over her face, Flowey screeching as he ducked quickly underground and his swarm of _bullets_ dissipated around her. Heavy, yet gentle footfalls before her caught her ear as she felt the black shape recede from her body, gasping heavily for air as her lungs were suddenly back under her own control. She winced as color flooded her vision and the bright red shape receded into her body, warmth and strength flooding her system. It was all too much, her senses being overloaded so quickly, and she collapsed to her knees, trembling as she held herself weakly.

"What a wretched creature, tormenting such a poor and innocent youth... "

Soft, furry hands touched her cheeks, lifting her gaze upward as a tender, motherly voice filled her ears, padded thumbs drying away tears she hadn't even noticed were falling. "Oh, you poor thing, you have suffered a lot in your short time here..."

Frisk's eyes widened at the sight before her; a goat-like creature that towered over her with long, sharp fangs and bright red eyes that locked-gaze with hers. "Ah, do not be afraid my child. I am Toriel, caretaker of the ruins. I heard the commotion of your fall… a pity I did not arrive sooner to spare you the machinations of that cruel little cretin... Are you hurt, dear?"

Frisk was shaking softly at this point, the recent ordeal burned into her mind like an unwanted stain.

" _ **Don't be so uncouth; I in all likelihood just saved your life. Really now, what were you thinking, letting the first stranger you meet have access to your soul?"**_

She twisted, writhing in Toriel's grip, desperate to find her owner of the _voice_. The one whom she was certain had taken control over her body… she could find nothing aside from herself and Toriel in the cavern. Her movements were not unnoticed however, and she soon found herself gently hoisted off the ground and into a tender embrace, white fur pressing all around her as she blinked rapidly.

"There-there, young one. He is gone, nobody is here to hurt you, and I am not going to cause you any harm. You must be so frightened… How about I take you someplace safe, for the time being? To help you clear your mind, at least."

" _ **Breathe. You're alright. Just follow this one; you can take her word for it when she says she won't hurt you. And, stop looking around like a madwoman. You'll see me when I want you to see me. Eyes forward."**_

Closing her eyes and pressing into the kindly woman's arms, Frisk let out a shaky, muffled breath as she let Toriel carry her out of the terrible cavern she had fallen into. She was completely at a loss for what was going on; in such a brief amount of time, so much had happened…

As the adrenaline of her fall and subsequent encounter with Flowey subsided, she finally felt the exhaustion of her journey catching up with her as her eyelids became too heavy for her to keep them open, finally allowing herself to fall asleep in the arms of her apparent saviour, as she was taken away to what she could only hope was safety.

* * *

- _Poor girl;_ **Pathetic fool.-** He watched them from the corners of the room as they were carried away by the exile. They would be safe, for now at least, under the care of their new ward. Hopefully for a long enough time to recuperate from the - _unfortunate;_ **disgusting** \- creature that had ambushed them during their fall.

He shifted his gaze further along, sifting through the warp and weft of events surrounding him in his silence. It took - **eons worth of energy** ; _hardly any real effort-_ for him to push through the chilling black that was his 'existence,' if one could even call it that. In order to reach the weave that held his attention now had taken much time and patience on his part, for searching across the infernal dark for anything specific was certainly no small feat.

His hands were constantly dancing across the threads, picking apart unwanted events, placing those he needed where and when he needed them, filtering the grime and filth and… excess, from his desired shape. It was - **Such a joy to cut away the undesirable, and to puppeteer his way into the web** ; _A tiresome, joyless chore to babysit this poor world, for he was its only hope now_ \- as his fingers snapped around a small grey shape further forward into the thread, whisking it away and tossing it into the refuse. Standing back to - _observe_ ; **admire** \- his work, he let his gaze relax and flow across the forming tapestry.

He watched with cold and calculating eyes as walls collapsed, dust showered the Earth, and cities gleamed bright under the sun. Armies clashed and ambassadors met, blood and rust devoured the seas and parades of victory swarmed the world. There was so much work to do, so many _-injuries for him to heal_ ; **cracks for him to exploit** \- in this broken, violent world. And an eternity of time for him to - **poke, prod and cut** ; _refine, correct and improve_ \- that world.

- **After all** ; _Unfortunately,_ \- _**a Gods' work is never done.-**_

* * *

 **A/N:** And, here's the second one up. So, I just want to make it clear that updates will unfortunately not be consistent or usually this frequent; I had written most of this chapter before I uploaded the first. Again, don't hold of criticism if it's needed; I want to improve.

And again thank you VakaPyro for helping me so much with this story. It'd be an illegible mess without you.


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3: Forward**

Muted voices and oily black shadows surrounded her; all different shapes and sizes that were reaching her way, calling out to her. Old and familiar faces looked upon her while she pressed forward, never taking her gaze off the massive spire rising towards the heavens before her; that was her destination, her goal for this long journey onwards. She marched ceaselessly towards that vast shape, a burning determination pushing her on through the dangers and threats that awaited her. Soon she found herself climbing upwards, never stopping in her pursuit of her goal, her lofty plans for the future still held onto by the barest thread of hope as she pressed onwards and upwards, until…

Stirring softly in the surprising comfort of her new bed, Frisk grumbled quietly as she weakly opened her eyes, looking about for the familiar grey confines of her bunk in the orphanage… only to snap upright as she took in the sight of colorful walls surrounding her, and a thick, warm comforter pressing down on her in a soft and spacious bed. A far cry from the thin sheet and mattress of her old lodgings, for sure… and a clear reminder that she was still in unfamiliar territory.

 _What the…? Now where am I?_ Frisk actually giggled a bit at that; the frequency of that question becoming slightly absurd as of late. Certainly, she had anticipated troubles during her little journey up to Ebott, but _this_ far more than she had expected...

- _Screaming as she fell head over heels down into that cavernous pit, unable to catch herself or slow her fall. Terror as an oily black shadow took hold of her, forcing her body to move against her will as terrible thoughts seeped into her mind. Soft, gentle hands pulling her close, taking hold of her as she was carried safely away.-_

That was right; the kind-looking monster that had saved her from Flowey and… the other one. She shivered a bit, remembering the cold, hard sounding voice that had creeped into her mind alongside that shadow. Hugging herself softly, she winced as a statement from before floated to the forefront of her mind.

 _ **-"Don't be so uncouth; I in all likelihood just saved your life."-**_

Had it, though? She remembered the "friendliness pellets" Flowey had offered her; and the violent assault the flower had unleashed shortly after his initial deception failed. He had certainly strung her along for sure, and nearly succeeded in… whatever his plans towards her were. But what of that voice she had heard? It had creeped upon her nearly as soon as she awoke within the Underground… that black mass, it's murderous thoughts, and chilling tone… she knew almost immediately that it had been no dream or hallucination; her body still trembled at the cold touch of it's presence. And how it had ensnared her so fully was still making her jitter at the memory, her eyes darting across her limbs to ensure no force was encroaching upon her again.

Frisk could hardly keep up with the events of late, the poor girl. In just a few hours she had gone from wandering aimlessly topside, unsure of what she expected to find out here, to falling into the legendary Underground, meeting a monster and nearly being killed by him, or possessed by something else that had been planning something… terrible for the diminutive creature. Whatever had visited her during Flowey's attack certainly didn't have the best of bedside manners.

Yet, in spite of that… the presence had helped her, hadn't it? Perhaps not gently or kindly, but she had been pushed away from the danger that Flowey hid from her. And, once the danger had passed, it seemed to recede… as though it had taken hold of her only for the sake of defense. Was it trying to protect her? What _was_ it in any case, and why did it care about her at all?

Licking her dry lips nervously, Frisk sat up in her bed with a quiet grunt. Deciding to go straight to the source of her uncertainty, she nodded a little to herself before clearing her throat softly and, after a good bit of trepidation, calling out quietly to the room before her. "H...Hello? Um… are you still here?"

...Silence. No bitter insults, or cold hand at her throat. Moving to stand, she cleared her throat and spoke again, a bit louder and, hopefully, more confident-sounding than before. "Hello? Uh… ghost? Or… ghostly... monster? You… are still there, aren't you?"

...Another bout of silence was all she received. Frowning, Frisk had half a mind to simply rise and leave her current chambers to find Toriel, before shuddering at the sudden cold surrounding her, a familiar voice creeping into her ears. " _ **...Do you always just shout at the air and await a response? Perhaps you're well-adjusted to the presence of disembodied voices in your head."**_

Frisk forced herself to stop mid-tremble, not fully prepared for the response. Looking up again, she focused forward, unable to make eye-contact with the mysterious being. "So, you are still here…"

The chill within the room shifted about her; as if it were a current or stream of air. Speaking again, the voice seemed to be closer, clearer for her to hear. " _ **Yes. You expected me to just leave after saving your life? Hmph. How unsurprising… and ungrateful of you."**_

Standing fully, Frisk stretched with a small grunt, popping her back as she rolled her neck. "Not exactly… um, I didn't really know what to expect after you… well, did whatever that was…" Frisk swore she could almost _feel_ the eyeroll following this; a bitterness filling her "guests" tone as they responded.

" _ **I believe the term that you are looking for is possession. That's what most people would use to describe a situation where a phantom is controlling your physical movements."**_

She tilted her head at the unabashed response given; whoever she was dealing with clearly had little in the way of remorse of the discomfort they had caused her. "...Oh. Um… thanks? Was there, uh… any reason why you did that?"

" _ **Of course there was. You didn't think that I was jumping to action on behalf of a HUMAN from the kindness of my heart, do you? Under normal circumstances you'd already be plant-food by now."**_

Frisk frowned at that, a little indignation rising in her chest as she started to puff up a bit. "Human? What's that supposed to mean, huh?" However, she found herself stopping as a disturbing thought crossed her mind. "Wait… Flowey eats people..?"

She could feel a slight rumble around her, something almost akin to a chuckle, she thought. " _ **I highly doubt it. I'm sure he feeds off of water and sunlight if anything."**_ Frisk set out a small sigh of relief at that, feeling just a bit less troubled about her predicament.

As if offended by her calming down, the voice piped up again, offering the following. " _ **He was probably much more interested in killing you and absorbing your soul to increase his own power."**_

Cringing at the deadpan "help" offered so far, and irritated at the lack of a target to focus her newfound frustration on, Frisk settled for glaring at a particular spot on the wall, circling back to her earlier question. "So, why did you help me, and… well, why are you still here?"

" _ **Hmph. Try not to sound so eager to get rid of me, will you not? It's rather inconsiderate of you… besides, I'd have left long ago had I any choice in the matter. But… I suppose a bit of an explanation is in order. Fine, look over here."**_

"Over..? What are you…" Turning to her side, Frisk suddenly found herself leaping back in surprise, a sudden yelp escaping her as she suddenly found herself sitting next to another human. Said human was a young boy, maybe a year or two her elder, dressed in a dark set of slate jeans with a dark brown, old-styled leather jacket a size too large over a green and yellow-striped sweater. Rugged black boots fit over his feet and clicked softly against the wooden floor as he stood up, taking a step away from her and raising his hands placatingly. "Don't shout so much! You'll end up panicking Toriel at this rate if you keep making so much noise. Just, calm down, will you? I already told you before that you'd see me eventually… and you did say that you wanted an explanation, did you not?"

Slowly easing herself back down from the wall, she nodded softly while curiously taking in the sight of the boy before her. He stood taller than Frisk, almost a foot over her as she craned her neck slightly to look him in the eye. Dark, chocolate colored hair hung neatly around his head, down to his chin and framing his alabaster-colored face, a light pink blush decorating his cheeks as he stared emotionlessly down at her. All in all, he was far less horrific to see than she had expected. His eyes though…

She found herself both fascinated and disturbed looking into them; for while the rest of his appearance was rather normal, even a little pleasing to her sight, his _eyes_ were different… warped and twisted, even. A dark, inky color surrounded reddish-brown irises, sickly, splotchy patterns surrounding his pupils. Said eyes were harsh and cold to look at, and she couldn't help but feel as if his gaze was cutting through her. Clearing his throat loudly, Frisk shook herself out of her inspection, blushing slightly at her lack of grace. "Sorry… I didn't really expect you to just, _appear_ like that…"

He just stared her way without a flicker of warmth or concern, uninterested in her behavior. "Hm. Anyway, as to why I'm still here… as it turns out, I'm apparently stuck to you, for lack of a better description." He raised his hand to stop her incoming question, having noticed her bewildered expression. "While you were sleeping I attempted to take my leave, or at the very least have a look around… I made it about as far as the door before I was forced back into the room. Tried passing through the walls or the ceiling as well, unfortunately I couldn't move much further than the outside hallway. Moving far from you also feels like a tether tightening around me until I can't move further away. Ergo, for whatever reason… We're stuck together. At least for now."

* * *

' _ **To my great dismay.'**_ He bitterly thought to himself, watching his new host with a carefully kept, neutral face. The girl had a vibrancy to herself, curious and kind eyes that shone under the light of this room, glowing softly with an almost golden hue. From the brief exposure to her soul he was surprised at the power sealed within it; burning like a small star within her. Certainly more so than the cold pit he felt within himself, now…

Frowning to himself, he furrowed his brow slightly in thought at his predicament. His memories were foggy and unwieldy at the moment, vague recollections of pain and anger occasionally floating to the front of his mind before disappearing just as quickly. He assumed he was dead, he was sure of that at the very least. He remembered being human quite distinctly, not to mention _corporeal_ to boot. So, something must have happened to him in death, obviously; the vacant abyss he felt within his chest was a clear testament to that. He remembered Toriel somewhat, her motherly nature and her kindness, but there seemed to be so much more missing...

 _A soft, fur-lined hand holding his, a tender voice singing songs to him in the night… she'd taken him in after he… fell, into this place. Cared for him and provided for him, loved him as if he were her own flesh and blood. So, why then…_

A fleeting sense of warmth, that faded as quickly as sparks in the snow, was all he felt in what he was sure should have been a roaring inferno of love for her. He felt nothing for her, or the eccentric locals within this little slice of the Underground he once called home…

' _ **How curious… I, don't remember being this way before..?'**_ What little there was for him to see was certainly not this bleak. Brief moments flashing through his mind of laughter and play, smiles and hopes for the kingdom. So why did he feel, at best, nothing whatsoever upon seeing them again, and a cold, bitter resentment at worst? There was no tug at the corners of his mouth at the thought of these people, not pang of nostalgia at seeing this old home he had briefly dwelled within. What was-

"Hello? Ghosty-boy?" Fingers snapped right before his eyes, startling him slightly as he refocused on his current companion.

"Hm? Oh, were you trying to say something to me?" He frowned at himself, irritated at his lack of focus. Perhaps in death he became further undisciplined… he would need to be more mindful of himself in the future.

The girl tilted her head with a slightly perplexed stare his way, a lopsided smile spreading across her face as she spoke again, much more confidently than before. She was adjusting rather quickly to this, wasn't she… ' _ **Curious…'**_

"Well, you said that you're stuck with me, right? No real way to get away from me?" He raised an eyebrow, nodding slowly. "Yes… that is what I believe."

"Well… if we're stuck together, why don't we give each other our names? Mines' Frisk, and I… _think_ it's nice to meet you." She offered a hand as she spoke, her smile a bit wary as she looked up at him.

He stared down at her outstretched hand without moving, annoyance once again flaring at her tone. Did he not save her life not even a full day before this conversation? ' _ **Truly, an ungrateful brat aren't you…'**_ Though if he were being honest he had no real reason to deny her request; it would at the very least make communication a bit easier if they could respond to each other by name, wouldn't it? And at the very least, this partial amnesia he seemed to possess had not robbed him of his own name, thankfully. Might as well indulge the girl a little, he figured. "I… very well. Greetings, Frisk. I am Chara."

* * *

Toriel hummed softly to herself as she finished cleaning her cookware, a warm smile decorating her face as she put the finishing touches on the mornings' meal. Her little guest would likely awaken soon, and she wanted them to be at ease during their first full introduction. She unfortunately had to forgo the typical introduction that she gave visitors for the ruins, as the young human had passed out nearly as soon as Toriel had taken them into her grasp. They had been noticeably lighter than most of the others in fact, not quite starving but clearly poorly fed for the past few weeks. Thankfully no scars or bruises adorned this one's skin; a relief that they had been spared that at least. A warm bed, a night's rest followed by a full breakfast would hopefully be enough to settle the poor childs' fears and help them feel safer here.

The elderly monster sighed a bit at the familiar stage being set before her, not deluded enough just yet to recognize the pain she almost undoubtedly set in place for her future. But how could she ever deny them a home, a place of safety and comfort? Not since he fell, so long ago, cold and sick, starving and weak… he had been in such a horrid state, she could remember seeing his scarred, pitiful form in her first child's arms as he ran home, fearful and teary-eyed. Her heart ached at the thought of her sons, wracking briefly in terrible, but so very familiar a pain. Oh, if only she had done better for them both...

The many that had followed him throughout the years were always in a similar state, unsettling stories of agony and hardship from the surface always accompanying them. Work camps, wasted lands, war and strife… where it not for the pair of more recent arrivals Toriel had taken in, she'd be of the mind that the war had truly never ended, even after they were sealed away, so long ago...

Shaking the dark thoughts aside, she instead chose to focus back on the simple, yet satisfying task at hand as she set herself and her new guests' places at the kitchen table, silverware clinking softly against the wooden surface. The familiar scent of breakfast would fill the house soon enough, an always welcome start to anyone's day! Perhaps after they'd been properly fed, she'd take the human out into the ruins and practice some of the skills they'd need to learn to survive within the Underground; at the very least they ought to know how to navigate the myriad puzzles that littered the kingdom!

A soft voice fluttering softly from behind the closed door of her guest room caught her ear as another genuine smile creeped along her face, a soft sparkle to her eye as she approached the child's room. Seemed to her ears that the child was having a rather one-sided conversation whilst in their room, alone. Toriel stifled a quiet giggle, always amused at the prominence and complexity of the imaginary friends that children could and often would so easily come up with in their lonesome. Though this one seemed a bit, strange in tone… not the happy or trusting tone one would give to a figment of their own mind. Ah well, in any case, she human needed to be fed and checked on so without further ado, Toriel rapped her claws softly across the door, calling out to the young human in as tender a voice she could. "Good morning my child, I do hope your night was a good one! I've prepared you a breakfast at the dining room table if you're ready and- oh! Hello there, young one." Toriel smiled down at the young human that stood in the open doorway before her, their gentle eyes aglow in the soft lighting of her home as the child stared up her, in curiosity rather than fear this time, she thankfully noted. Crouching down patiently, Toriel patted the human's head softly as she offered them a hand, smile never fading. "You look much better after some rest, if you don't mind me saying. Did you sleep well, child?"

She smiled calmly toward the youth, but in all honesty was somewhat worried with how the human might react to seeing her once more. Their first encounter had been mere moments after the human had been attacked and nearly killed after all, and they likely had a great deal of adrenaline flooding their system when they had first met. If the human didn't recognize her correctly, or remembered the previous night out of order, well… it would make things rather difficult, going forward.

Fortunately for her, the child seemed to remember her quite well, as she stepped forward and hugged around Toriel's midsection softly, smiling quietly up towards the elder monster. "Hi again, miss for saving me from that flower last night…Uh,my name's Frisk, by the way." Frisk rounded their thanks off with a small nuzzle against Toriel's cheek, smile warm and sweet as she took the monsters hand and followed Toriel as she stood slowly, looking down to her newest companion with a soft sigh of relief.

"Think nothing of it, young one. I was more than happy to help. Now, I'd imagine that you must be hungry, are you not?" It was difficult to resist giggling at the rather adorable face Frisk made at that, their head nodding ferociously at the prospect of food.

Toriel motioned towards the table as Frisk turned the corner with her, the prospect of a hot meal seeming to captivate the child even stronger than the monster that was beside them, That, combined with the lightness they had exhibited when she had carried them home last night…

Toriel pulled a chair out for her young friend, taking her seat shortly afterwards and smiling happily as Frisk tore into her breakfast, momentarily unconcerned with the current lack of table manners on display. She recognized the desperation easily enough, and felt herself immediately latch onto the poor human as quickly as she had with all the others. Deep down, she knew this would only cause her more pain in the future, more heartache that she could scarcely afford to endure yet again.

But she didn't care. This child was lonely, hungry and unprepared for the new world they were in. And Toriel would make damned sure that that changed immediately.

* * *

 **A/N:** Sorry that this not took so long, but also, and more so, I'm really sorry that this is most likely is pretty sub-par quality wise... I've been getting help with proof-reading and word flow from a good friend that I haven't been able to get in touch with lately. So, I'll hopefully get in touch with them again soon, and the next chapter will be better for it. Always give criticism where it's needed; especially here since it's probably warranted more so than normal. See you in the next chapter.


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